


i'll be home for christmas

by cashewnuts



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Background johnyu + winwin, Christmas Romance, Domestic Jaeyong, Fluff, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Postgraduate Student Jaehyun in Australia, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:27:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28284729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cashewnuts/pseuds/cashewnuts
Summary: Jaehyun's home, in the perfect arms of his perfect love, and there's no place he'd rather be.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Lee Taeyong
Comments: 6
Kudos: 64





	i'll be home for christmas

**Author's Note:**

> just like jaehyun and taeyong, i hope you find love during the holidays.
> 
> ps: yes, the title is from michael bublé's i'll be home for christmas :)

Taeyong takes another glance in the mirror before fixing the scarf wrapped around his neck. It's almost negative degrees out, and for what he thinks is the 10th time since he's gone outside, he complains inside his head as to why he agreed to push through with his friends' ridiculous plan of working out despite the unforgiving weather. 

"I better not hear anything from the both of you in the next three days," Taeyong directs at Johnny and Yuta once they're out of the gym. They had just finished two hours of nonstop muscle abuse, and Taeyong considers not coming back until the next year would be a good idea because of the impending doom he's about to face that is the soreness of his body the next day. While he still thinks it's ridiculous to be out here trying to burn their calves off, his friends had convinced him (note: forced) that he might as well get his workout in check now considering the amount of delicious food he's about to devour in the next 48 hours or so. 

The three of them walk side by side along the cold pavement with snow falling on top of their heads. It's Christmas Eve, and it's a busy day in the streets of Hongdae, with teenagers trying to accomplish their long shopping lists for Christmas gifts, mothers and grandmothers buying ample amounts of ingredients for their traditional Galbijjim recipes, and children trying to coerce their parents into letting them into the toy stores were things Taeyong loved to see. He's always loved Christmas. In fact, it's his favorite holiday of all, partly because of the delicious food he gets to eat, but also because he gets all day to be with the love of his life.

"As if you'd be able to ignore us, we're practically your only friends, Taeyong," Yuta suggests, which Taeyong easily picks up as a no-bite insult. "And besides, your mom invited us over."

Taeyong eyes him, "And you're actually going?"

Yuta flashes a cocky smile, "We can't miss her rice cakes."

"And we miss your nephew," Johnny adds.

Taeyong finds himself rolling his eyes with his best friends' rather shameless way of celebrating the holidays. It's nothing new because, well, they actually do this every year, but he thinks it's about time they find themselves their significant other to pester, "Don't you have your own families?"

Johnny scoffs in disbelief, exaggeratingly clutches his hand onto his chest, "Don't you want us over, Taeyong?"

Yuta, as if realizing something that has been in front of him all along, "He doesn't want us because he will be with his boyfriend."

Taeyong doesn't say anything. It's the truth. Well, _half_ the truth. 

"How will you even be able to do that? Jaehyun doesn't go home during Christmas," Johnny utters, earning him a smack from Yuta, telling him to shut the fuck up.

Taeyong huffs, watching the smoke evaporate into thin air. He's just a street away from his neighborhood now, and if he's smart he'd consider leaving his best friends for some peace of mind. "Are you having fun with prying off my love life too much?"

Yuta, not really knowing when to stop being annoying, steps in and walks in the middle of his friends, "You know it's fun teasing you, right? Besides, we don't really have anyone else to pester."

Taeyong rolls his eyes, "Maybe if you man up and ask the part timer at the bookstore near your house, you'll have someone to spend Christmas with, don't you think?"

He hears a scoff, an expected reaction from his lovesick friend, "Oh, that guy? Not really into him, you know. He's too...stiff."

"Stiff?" Taeyong turns to him.

Yuta doesn't answer. Meanwhile, Johnny, who has been holding back a laugh speaks on his behalf, "Let's just say the bookstore guy hates him for ravaging the arrangement of books displayed in front of the store."

"Accidentally, okay? It was an accident!"

Taeyong shakes his head, not buying any of Yuta's bullshit. It's been established that he's into the bookstore guy for quite some time now, and only a fool wouldn't be able to notice that. However, he cuts Yuta off some slack in exchange for him shutting his mouth.

"Whatever, we're still not buying your lame excuse," Johnny says while fishing his phone out of his pocket. "Say, burgers?"

Taeyong eyes him, "You just finished burning your calories off and you're already trying to get them back?"

Johnny shrugs, "It's the holidays. And I don't want to go home just yet, otherwise Mom is going to force me to chop some cabbages for her." 

Taeyong looks at the sign at the corner of the street, his house is just a few blocks away, and he can't wait to bundle up in his sheets while spending time with his boyfriend, so he shakes his head, "I'll pass. I have a call scheduled today."

Yuta turns to him in disgust, "God, couples. What a menace to society."

Johnny clicks his tongue and nods, "Tell me about it," He turns to Taeyong, who's already waiting at the stop sign, "Tell Jaehyun to bring home some chocolates for me when he decides to go home. He only brings home the good stuff for you, as if we don't exist." 

Johnny's dramatic attempts only go unnoticed as Yuta drags him away while still eyeing Taeyong with a betrayed look on his face. Taeyong only chuckles as he's used to his friends' way of teasing. It's a lot worse when his boyfriend's home, so he's glad he doesn't get the short end of the stick for now.

He gingerly walks along his neighborhood, careful not to slip on melted ice and injure himself, knowing that he's a penchant for clumsiness. He looks at his wristwatch and a smile slowly works its way up to his face. 

Five minutes.

Once he reaches his house, he's greeted by his nephew attempting to make a snowman (or what Taeyong regards as a ball of ice with sticks) with his sister and their father. He notes the way his sister smiled so widely upon seeing him open the door and remove his outer clothes. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

His sister shrugs, turning to her son who is yet again, attempting to make a snowman with his small and delicate hands. "Nothing. You look like you've gone on a 10-kilometer marathon."

Taeyong quickly runs a hand through his hair upon hearing his sister's words, "Johnny and Yuta forced me to the gym."

"Well, fix yourself. Make sure you don't look too weird."

Before he could even question her and think of a reply, he hears his mother call him from the kitchen, "Taeyong? Are you here already? Come taste this broth!"

He quickly removes the rest of his outerwear and shoes until he's only in his hoodie and sweatpants. He didn't even bother wearing his house slippers upon hearing his mother's request. He's more than excited to get a taste of her Galbijjim. To be frank, he even wanted to help his mother, if not for her shooing him away from her kitchen and forcing him to go with his friends to the gym.

"Is it too much salt?" 

He lets himself process the flavor at the tip of his tongue before shaking his head, "No, I think the water will boil it down anyway so the flavor should just be right once it simmers down." 

His mom points to the array of ingredients lined up on their dining table before eyeing him expectantly, "Will you help me with the other food?"

Taeyong weighs it for a moment. He has a call with Jaehyun in less than two minutes, but he also regrets he wouldn't be able to lend his mother a helping hand for their Christmas Eve celebration, "I have a call with Jaehyun." He grabs his phone from his pocket, but before his mother could reply, a familiar ringtone resonates through the kitchen and Taeyong's heart almost leaps, "Speaking of."

He expected his mother to pretend to look disappointed that his son is prioritizing his love life over family affairs, but he only sees a smirk on her face which confuses him further, "Whatever. Make sure you look presentable before seeing him."

"Seeing him?" Taeyong questions.

His mother only shrugs and points to his phone that has been constantly ringing in his hand, "Will you answer that?"

He only gave her a more confused look as she giggled while he made his way to their bathroom, "The hell," Taeyong mutters under his breath. He wonders why his sister reminded him of the same thing. Are they expecting a guest today? He thought Johnny and Yuta would come over the next day?

He manages to answer the call while trying to wash the exhaustion from his face and fix his slightly disheveled hair.

"Hi," the voice of the man he has been waiting for rings in his ears.

He fishes for his face wash inside the cabinet before looking at his phone, "Hi, no video call?" He asks, wondering why his face hasn't showed up on the screen.

"I'm outside."

"Oh, you went somewhere?" Taeyong asks while lathering some cleanser on his face.

"Yeah, we'll be having barbecue tonight so I picked some stuff from the store," he hears a shuffle. "You home? How's gym with Yuta and Johnny?"

Taeyong rolls his eyes once again, recalling the hell he had gone through while trying to keep up with those two in the gym. Especially Johnny. "Yeah, I'm just washing my face right now. They're the worst gym buddies ever. I wish I was with you."

Jaehyun laughed and Taeyong's stomach fluttered for a bit. God, he misses that laugh so much, "Yeah but you hate boxing, baby."

"I do, but at least it's less gruesome than what they had me go through earlier. I feel like I'll just be a huge ball of lactic acid tomorrow," he complains while washing off soap from his face. "Johnny says you still owe him chocolates when you go home. He's upset because according to him, you only give the good stuff to me."

"Don't worry, I'll make sure to bring some 'good stuff' for him," Jaehyun pauses. "Speaking of gifts, did you get my Christmas gift to you?"

Taeyong's forehead creases and his brain automatically supplies a complaint, "Jaehyun, I thought we agreed no gifts this Christmas?"

Jaehyun chuckles and Taeyong could almost see the dimples hollowing his cheeks, "I know, baby. But I can't help it."

Taeyong sighs. It's not that this is his first time to scold Jaehyun for something like this. In fact, his boyfriend's spoiling tendencies would often be the cause of their arguments, to which Jaehyun lets Taeyong win all the time. "Jaehyun…"

"Taeyong," Jaehyun replies with an equally stern voice. "Don't worry, once you see this gift, you're going to love it."

"What is it?" He says while making his way out of the bathroom and back to the living room where he left his wallet a few minutes ago. 

"You'll have to see for yourself. I'm pretty sure it arrived already. Have you seen it?"

Taeyong quickly scans the living room and finds nothing remotely unusual save for the few extra decorations that have been displayed, probably by his sister when he left for the gym. He walks over to the kitchen where his mom began mincing some garlic, "Mom, did Jaehyun get something for me?"

His mom nods without taking her eyes off the cutting board, "It's in your room. I forgot to tell you it arrived when you left a while ago."

He walks towards his room but quickly steps back and looks at his mom, "Do you want to say hi to Jaehyun?"

His mom hums in acknowledgement but shakes her head, still not taking her attention off the vegetables she had been cutting, "No need. Just say hi to him for me." Finally, she eyes her son with a playful look on her face. "I'm pretty sure you missed him a lot."

Taeyong doesn't miss the soft giggle she let out as she continued her ministrations. As he was about to question her once again, he remembers he's still on call with his boyfriend who appears to be more excited than he is. He hesitantly steps out of the kitchen and toes his way towards his room in anticipation. Only two scenarios will come out after he sees Jaehyun's gift: either a) he'll end up crying because of too much happiness, or b) he'll spend Christmas being upset at his own boyfriend for giving him another really, _really_ expensive gift.

"I swear to God, Jaehyun, if you sent me something really expensive I will not hesitate to send it back to Australia unopened." He mutters under his breath. He waits for an answer, but the man on the other line turned quiet all of a sudden. 

With his phone in one hand he opens his door with the other, eyes quickly scanning his room for boxes or anything wrapped in fancy gift-wrappers. What greets him though, is a tall, masculine figure, standing at the far end of his room. Taeyong's heart almost drops to his stomach and he immediately stops in his tracks, standing at the threshold that connects his room to the rest of his house.

The person, waiting for him at the other end of his room is looking at him ever so dearly, with dimples peeking out of his cheeks, his nose slightly red because of the cold air, his hair slightly disheveled, and his lips, which are curved in such a way Taeyong missed the most. His one arm is clutched up with his hand holding his phone to his ear, "Hey."

He was so taken aback that he almost forgets to breathe, but once everything sinks in, "Jaehyun." was the only thing he could say.

Jaehyun's smile grows wider as he gawks at Taeyong in surprise. He chuckles, making Taeyong's stomach flutter like crazy. It was unusual, Taeyong thinks, but he sure missed the feeling. 

"Are you going to hug me or will I be the one to run to you?" 

Taeyong finds himself huffing at Jaehyun's question, but quickly hurles his phone to his bed and runs into his boyfriend's arms, not bothering to shut the door for some privacy from his nosy little family.

Jaehyun stumbles at the impact of Taeyong's body on his, but his arms quickly work their way into his waist, pulling him closer. He feels the other melting into his touch, and Jaehyun reels into the warmth of Taeyong's skin, which he missed, very, very much. 

"I'm home, baby." 

They stay like that for a moment, both relishing the warmth of their skins, memorizing the way their arms wrap around each other's bodies, burying themselves into their scents that were new but still remotely familiar. They had missed each other so much.

Jaehyun threads his fingers into the other's hair, and Taeyong's eyes flutter at the touch, "Taeyong?"

Taeyong hums, burying his face further into the crook of Jaehyun's neck, "Yeah?"

"I missed you."

Taeyong only tightens his arms and murmurs an intelligible "I missed you more" into the other's neck. He doesn't think, nor says anything, but without him noticing, tears suddenly erupt from his eyes, and Jaehyun pulls away, concern written all over his face.

"Baby, what's wrong? Taeyong?" He mumbles softly while carefully wiping his boyfriend's tears away with his fingers.

Taeyong shakes his head and looks at Jaehyun with teary eyes, "Nothing, I just missed you too much. Too much, Jaehyunnie."

Jaehyun continues to wipe his tears away while holding his own tears back because, _why the heck is Taeyong so cute?_ "Me too, Yongie. But I'm here now. I'm here for you, yeah?"

Taeyong pouts, and Jaehyun almost loses his self control at kissing his adorable, sweet baby, "Will you be spending your Christmas here? With me?"

He feels a tug at his heart and kisses Taeyong's forehead, something he always does as a way to comfort his boyfriend, "Yes. With you."

Taeyong reaches for his face, "Jaehyunnie," He pleads. Jaehyun makes a quick kiss at the tip of Taeyong's nose before placing his lips on top of the other's, granting his request. It's been so long since they both felt something like this, so they share it for a while, with two of them smiling in between, and Taeyong relishes it into memory.

Taeyong wraps his arms around Jaehyun's neck while the other showers his face with tiny kisses and murmurs of "I missed you"s and "I love you"s, but before anything else could happen, a voice suddenly rings inside Taeyong's room. 

"At least close the door, you lovebirds." 

Taeyong doesn't hesitate to roll his eyes at his sister's words, "Why are you here?" He says, facing her.

She leans to his door frame and gestures at their proximity, too close for the rest of his family to see. "Can't have my son walk in on your make-out session. He's only five." She says, smugly. But before her brother could retaliate, she adds, "Welcome home, Jae."

Jaehyun laughs and softly bows, "Thanks for the help, noona." 

Taeyong turns to his boyfriend, "Help?"

"Oh he hasn't told you yet?" His sister prompts, "What did I expect? I should've known you would kiss first before asking him how he got here." She teases as she reaches for the door. She takes a glance over the two and winks, "Anyway, lunch is ready in ten. Save your making out for later."

Once she's out of earshot, and the door is finally closed, Jaehyun doesn't waste any second to circle his strong arms around Taeyong's delicate waist, hugging him from behind.

"My sister helped you?" Taeyong asks, slowly caressing Jaehyun's arms around his body.

Jaehyun hums in acknowledgement and buries his face into Taeyong's neck, lightly kissing the soft skin, and Taeyong tries to not flinch when he feels the kisses tickle. "And your mom. And dad. And nephew. And your brother-in-law," He recites one by one. "Yuta and Johnny too." 

Taeyong's eyes widen in surprise, "Wait, Yuta and Johnny?" He turns to Jaehyun, "You mean…"

"I conspired with them, yes."

He knew it. There was something fishy with the way Johnny had texted him a night prior with an uncanny _Tae, gym. Tomorrow. 9 am._ when he never does that. For one, Johnny always goes to the gym in the afternoon, and two, only crazy people work out on Christmas Eve. 

Taeyong rolls his eyes and scoffs, "You made them drag me out of the house and work out? On Christmas Eve? Really, Jae?"

Jaehyun kisses his cheek, "A thousand apologies. I knew you wouldn't go with them if they told you to help them shop for Christmas gifts because you easily get tired when shopping, and playing in the snow with a million people out in the streets of Hongdae seems rather _tourist-y_ , no?"

"Well, you could've just rang the doorbell and let me answer the door for you, you know," He says with a huff, still bitter about having to wake up in broad daylight and work out on a holiday. 

Jaehyun grips his arms and turns him around, his big and warm hands softly squishing Taeyong's cheek, "I sent them a box full of stuff they requested, so they owed me something." 

Too eager to change the topic, Taeyong sighs, "When did you get home?" 

"I got home last night. Flew from Sydney at 4 pm and arrived here in Seoul at 10." Jaehyun answers.

Taeyong pauses, as if trying to connect something, "So you mean when we talked last night, you're already here?" 

Jaehyun chuckles, "Yes. I was at my parent's house." 

He expected Taeyong to complain about keeping his arrival a secret, but his boyfriend only hugs him and rests his cheek on his chest, "Well, it's alright. You had to catch up with your family anyway. I bet you missed your grandmother's cooking so much?"

Jaehyun smiles, and Taeyong doesn't hesitate to poke his dimples and pinch his tender skin, "I did. She made really delicious budaejjigae last night. It was out of this world. I mean, I would opt for Korean food in Australia whenever I can—I'd even try to cook—but nothing beats home, you know?"

Taeyong grins as he watches Jaehyun relive his experiences with Korean cuisine in Australia. He finds it endearing because in their relationship, Jaehyun is always the one who listens, but seeing Jaehyun like this, too ardent in narrating his struggles as a student in Australia, he can't help but coo at his boyfriend.

Jaehyun had been spending the last two years as a postgraduate student in Australia. As one of the top students in their department back in college, he had been offered a scholarship by a prestigious university in Sydney for a master's degree. He was so giddy and enthusiastic when he informed Taeyong about the once in a lifetime offer, and seeing as having a postgraduate diploma from a top university in Australia is like a dream come true for Jaehyun, Taeyong was more than happy to support his goals.

They were on their third year when Jaehyun had left for Australia, and now they're on their way to celebrating their fifth year together. However, just like any other long distance relationship, it wasn't any easy feat. Considering a two-hour time difference from Sydney to Seoul, timezones weren't really a problem for them. It was more of a proximity issue, to say the least. They thrived on video calls (a lot of them), and occasional postcards and gifts whenever they celebrated something, because being thousands of miles apart meant seeing each other in person during important occasions will be close to impossible. Although fighting is something that doesn't happen all the time in the course of their relationship because both of them will never let the day end without reconciling, the act of kissing and hugging the life out of each other after they make up wasn't a luxury they could enjoy. 

They were lucky, however, because both of their families and friends are more than supportive of their relationship. Taeyong would always get invited at a Jung celebration, _even with the absence of Jaehyun,_ and Jaehyun would receive updates about his favorite soccer team in South Korea from _Taeyong's dad_ every now and then. And they're both so so grateful.

Indeed, they consider themselves more than blessed to have each other as a partner, because despite being miles and miles apart, occasions like this will always help them find their ways into each other's arms. 

Taeyong pulls away gently, holding Jaehyun's hands in his, and nods, "Nothing beats home."

Another call from Taeyong's sister outside and they find themselves in Taeyong's dining area, joyfully devouring all the food Taeyong's mom had just prepared. There was a whole lot of catching up too, with Taeyong's sister asking Jaehyun about his master's degree in Australia, and Taeyong's dad boasting about having to meet Jaehyun's favorite soccer player in person.

"That's amazing, abeonim. I wish I could also meet Son Heung Min one day," Jaehyun exclaims.

Taeyong's father nods at him in earnest, "Don't worry, I'll make sure we get the best seats at one of his games once you're done with your studies there."

Taeyong finds himself smiling at how precious the moment is. He was terrified about his family's reaction with him having to date another guy at first, especially his father, but his family and other relatives have shown them nothing but love and support and Taeyong is eternally grateful for that. In fact, Taeyong sometimes thinks his dad loves Jaehyun better than him now.

Unbeknownst to Taeyong, his mother is looking at him and back to how Jaehyun is currently conversing with his family in awe. She still couldn't believe the fact that his son was able to meet someone like Jaehyun, who's still as understanding, patient, and loving (if not more) when she was first introduced to him. People would sometimes question why she allowed her son to date another man, but Taeyong has found himself in Jaehyun the same way Jaehyun did with her son, so who is she to devoid them of that happiness? And honestly, if she were to have Jaehyun as a son-in-law, she would brag about it forever. 

_____

After forcibly making Taeyong's nephew get his afternoon nap (they threatened him that he will never grow taller if he doesn't), Taeyong and Jaehyun make their way back into Taeyong's room, all sleepy and fuzzy from the delicious food they ate. 

"Are we going to sleep?" Taeyong asks while trying to make his bed.

Jaehyun sits on one side of Taeyong's bed, "If you want. Let's go to town later. I miss eating bunggeopang." 

Taeyong laughs and jumps to his side, patting the empty spot beside him, telling Jaehyun to lie down. 

Jaehyun obliges, but halts his movements when a thought comes to his mind, "Actually, I got a lot of stuff for you," He says. "And your family." He adds when he sees the glare slowly working its way up to his boyfriend's face. 

"I know, noona mentioned it to me earlier during lunch." 

Jaehyun flashes a playful smile, "There's one thing I'd like you to try with me."

"What is it?"

Jaehyun doesn't answer, instead he pulls Taeyong up to his feet again, with the latter not even having the chance to protest because he was already being dragged to the living room.

"This is so much stuff seriously, Jaehyun." Taeyong argues while scanning the boxes of Australian goods from Jaehyun. 

"It's all fine. Besides, I know you'll like them all, especially the chocolates." Jaehyun confidently retorts.

"Are you using chocolates as token for me to not get mad at you?"

Jaehyun raises a brow, "Why? Did it work?"

Taeyong rolls his eyes, "Whatever. What are you going to show me, anyway? Let's hurry up because I want us to just cuddle and sleep."

Jaehyun once again squishes his face with his hand and places a soft kiss on his lips, "So impatient." He teases before trying to rummage the box for whatever he was looking for. 

After a few moments, Jaehyun faces him with a small, yellow jar in his hands. Taeyong initially thought it would be jelly, considering the dark color of whatever's inside, but when he reads _Vegemite_ in bold letters on the cover, he gives Jaehyun a questioning look.

"Vegemite? You dragged me out of bed for Vegemite?" He scoffs.

"Hey! You said you wanted to try this before, so I made a mental note to bring you some when I get home, so I did. And I want to see your reaction."

Taeyong knew what Vegemite was, as his boyfriend would often gush about how it miraculously changed his life. Jaehyun didn't like it at first, saying it tasted like metal on a piece of bread, but as he stayed longer in Australia, he eventually came into terms with it. Now, Vegemite is a part of his diet everyday, it's very safe to say that next to Taeyong, Vegemite is one thing he wouldn't be able to live without.

"Well then, if someone as forgetful as you managed to remember something like this, I might as well give it a try." Taeyong reaches for the jar in his boyfriend's hands, and leads him into their kitchen. 

"How do you eat this again?"

Jaehyun smiles, "Well first we need bread," Taeyong grabs the bread sitting atop their cabinet and waits for Jaehyun to continue. "Butter," he says and Taeyong wordlessly takes the butter out of their fridge, "And a butterknife."

"Do we need to heat the bread or do we just eat it like this?" 

Jaehyun motions for the toaster, "I don't toast my bread anymore when I eat this because I get lazy but since you're still a beginner, I think it's better to heat it up."

While waiting for the bread to toast, Jaehyun grabs the jar and twists the lid open, presenting it to Taeyong, "Here."

Taeyong takes the jar from Jaehyun and places it in front of his nose, not too close since he was scared of the potent smell that was wafting off of it, "This smells kinda brothy. Are you sure we're putting this on toast?"

Jaehyun laughs, "Yes, it does smell brothy and yes, we're putting it on toast." He gently takes it in his hands and points at the text below its name, "It's yeast paste. We put it on bread. Honestly, I was too scared to try this out the second time because of the horror I had to endure when I first tried it, but if you eat it the right way, it'll be life-changing."

Taeyong was about to say something when two slices of bread erupt from the toaster, startling him. Jaehyun quickly reaches for the warmed slices and spreads a generous amount of butter on both. Once he's satisfied, he lathers a fair amount of Vegemite on one and a lesser amount on the other, "If you're still a beginner, this much is enough."

"This looks like a normal bread with jelly on it," Taeyong exclaims while inspecting the bread on his hands. 

"You don't entirely cover the bread with the paste unless you want to die." 

They both make a small gesture of "cheers" before taking a bite. Taeyong was trying to assess the foreign taste in his mouth while Jaehyun looked at him expectantly, stuffing his face with bread, "How is it?"

Oh it's nothing like Taeyong had ever tasted before, alright. It wasn't sweet at all, and it had a more salty flavor to it. And the meaty taste is so strong that eating it on a piece of bread almost seemed strange, but it intrigued Taeyong so much that he couldn't stop eating.

In no time, Jaehyun finishes his slice. He patiently waits for Taeyong to finish his before asking him again.

"Well, it's not that bad. I'm pretty sure the reason why other people hate this is because it's either they eat it right off the spoonful or they put too much. It's something unfamiliar, but it's good. I can see why you like this so much." Taeyong explains while finishing the last bit of bread before proceeding to arrange the stuff they put out for the sake of this Vegemite taste test.

Jaehyun claps out of glee and happily hugs his boyfriend, who was washing the butterknife, from behind. "I knew you'd like it. Maybe you should visit Australia one day. There are a ton of other delicacies you should try." 

Taeyong turns, and Jaehyun quickly sets his hands on either side of Taeyong, locking him in place. "Maybe. Will you give me a tour? So that I can finally see the places on the postcards you send in real life?"

Jaehyun grins widely and boops Taeyong's nose, "Of course." 

"Will I get to see kangaroos?"

Jaehyun keens, "Oh honey, they're everywhere in Australia. I bet you'll love them."

Taeyong claps and softly tugs on Jaehyun's arms, "Oh my God! I'll die if I see a joey in its mother's pouch! I want to meet the koalas too! Oh God, I really want to go!" 

"We'll make that happen," Jaehyun stands up straight and grabs Taeyong's hands once again, quietly inviting him out of the kitchen, "But first, let's cuddle to sleep, yeah?" 

They both struggle to fit themselves on Taeyong's bed (he blames it on Jaehyun's large stature) so they end up really, _really_ close to each other. Neither of them complain, because after such a long time of not seeing each other, and touching each other like this, it's only right to be this close.

Jaehyun has his arm drawn out underneath Taeyong's head. He softly runs his other hand in Taeyong's hair, making the latter fall more and more sleepy, as a result of his forced workout and all of the food he ate earlier. 

"Jae," Taeyong mumbles, his delicate hands fiddling with Jaehyun's hoodie.

"Hmm?"

"The plans we made earlier," he says, trying his best to stay awake. "You promise we'll make it happen?"

Jaehyun studies Taeyong's face, carefully tracing the scar at the side of his eye. _He's so beautiful,_ Jaehyun thinks. "We will. You promise you'll stay, right? Even when I go back?"

Taeyong slowly nods, "Promise...Stay with you."

Jaehyun watches his boyfriend slowly drift to slumber, and it doesn't take him long to follow. Before he does that though, he manages to kiss Taeyong's forehead and mumbles with his eyes closed, "I love you." He whispers lovingly.

_____

The next day was a whirlwind of some sorts. With the Lees exchanging gifts early in the morning so Taeyong could go to Jaehyun's house before lunchtime, and the latter picking him up at his house even before he got to open his sister's gift—which she had only bargained for at the Christmas sale two days ago for 11,000 Won, she assured her brother—Taeyong was already exhausted by mid-afternoon.

Christmas with the Jungs is always something else, something Taeyong had realized when he began celebrating the holidays with them two years into his relationship with Jaehyun. Unlike his family who usually prefers small celebrations over big ones, the Jungs would usually have it the other way around. Not only does the entire Jung clan come over to celebrate, they would also have an entire line of catering situated in their spacious living room, enough to feed an entire neighborhood. It's a bit too much, Jaehyun tells his mom, but considering that most of his relatives are out of the country for most of the year, most especially Jaehyun and his same-aged cousins, the elders assure them that celebrations like this are more than fine, as they only got to do this once in every two or three years. 

They had been celebrating since early morning, Jaehyun says, and it seemed to Taeyong that their celebration wouldn't end soon enough, so they sit by the couch at the quieter space in his boyfriend's house to save up some energy because Jaehyun and his cousins are planning to play beer pong after dinner, which of course, automatically includes Taeyong.

"How was lunch, Taeyong?" Jaehyun's mother prompts as he sat beside Jaehyun's aunts, simply adoring the scene of her son clutching Taeyong's hands so tightly as if he would disappear the moment Jaehyun loosens his grip.

Taeyong smiles, "It was really delicious, eomonim. The beef tenderloin was amazing." 

Unlike the Lees, the Jung family had a more western approach to their food this Christmas. If the couple had devoured a delicious galbijjim yesterday courtesy of Mrs. Lee, they were able to enjoy Mrs. Jung's horseradish-encrusted beef tenderloin today for Christmas lunch, and Taeyong was stuffed because a) he loves food, and b) he loves food cooked by his mom and his boyfriend's mom so much. Jaehyun on the other hand, had complained (although there's no bite to it, because his mother doesn't relent) that he has to eat western food for Christmas when the reason why he went home this year was a) he misses Taeyong and b) he wishes to eat a lot more Korean food, which was clearly not the case for him today.

One of Jaehyun's aunt grins and elegantly swirls the wine inside her glass, "You know, the Christmas cookies were also delicious, Taeyong. Did you make it?"

Taeyong, after being invited by his boyfriend to their celebration the night before, immediately felt the panic run through his veins after realizing that he had nothing to bring to the Jung festivities. And despite Jaehyun's poor attempts at convincing him that there is no need to bring anything, he felt that it was only right to bring some, so he settled for his very iconic (as per Jaehyun and Taeyong's baby nephew) Christmas cookie.

It was a recipe he developed years ago during college. It wasn't necessarily Christmas when he first made it (it was in mid-July), but after some tweaks and adjustments to the recipe, he was able to impress not only his family but also Jaehyun's when he was first invited to their household during the holidays. 

"It's Taeyong's own recipe!" Jaehyun's mother exclaims, and Taeyong feels the warmth on his cheeks. "It's really amazing, right? He always brings some even when it's not Christmas."

Taeyong, oblivious to his boyfriend's gaze, feels the latter tighten his grip in his hands. His eyes follow their intertwined fingers and back to Jaehyun's eyes. He smiles.

"I baked them last night, Jaehyun helped." Taeyong shyly says. "My nephew also gave us a hand." 

The rest of the afternoon is filled with the adults asking Taeyong about how his family's doing, or when will Mr. Jung be able to watch another soccer game with his father again (and inevitably, make Jaehyun jealous). 

Jaehyun finds himself smiling as he looks at his boyfriend sheepishly but enthusiastically, converse with the rest of his relatives. His cousins are also there too, quietly listening as they get to know Taeyong and his relationship with Jaehyun. 

The sound of the faint Christmas song playing in the other room along with the friendly chatters of everyone in the room makes Jaehyun's heart warm. He had never felt so full of love in his life. Going back home is a luxury he can't really enjoy all the time, because well, plane ticket prices are up the roof during the holidays, and he doesn't get to have long vacations because of how demanding his university is with studies. 

But now, as he finished his second to the last semester in his postgraduate studies, he was given a bit more allowance to visit family back home, and having to finish one last semester in Australia is something he is very much looking forward to. He doesn't tell Taeyong just yet, though.

He knows that his time in South Korea is limited for now, and he has to imminently go back to Australia for his studies in a few days time. But right now, he's just grateful. For his family for supporting his dreams and his dreams with Taeyong. For Taeyong's family for accepting him and treating him as if he's a part of their own. For his idiot friends Johnny and Yuta, who never fail to take care of his boyfriend while he's away (although they do it in such ways that make Taeyong's blood boil). And for Taeyong, for guiding him and supporting his every decision, even if it means they have to part ways and not know when they'll be able to see and hold each other again, and for loving his forgetful ass, and everything his forgetful ass has to offer—he's grateful for them all. 

But mostly he's grateful for Christmas and its essence, because after all the months of wondering when he'll be able to fly back, he's now here. 

_Jaehyun's home, in the perfect arms of his perfect love, and there's no place he'd rather be_.

_____

"You know putting too much baking soda screws it up, right?" Taeyong taunts, arms crossed in front of a crouched Jaehyun, who's a little too focused to listen to his boyfriend's teasing. His forehead's creased, and his tongue is slightly poking out, making Taeyong gush out of Jaehyun's cuteness. He gasps when his skin almost touches the flame, but quickly readjusts himself to continue his ministrations.

Taeyong crouches down, sitting beside his boyfriend who seemed to be struggling at his dalgona candy, "Here, let me."

Jaehyun reluctantly hands the bowl of sugar to Taeyong, "How do you not burn it? Or yourself?"

"You have to keep stirring otherwise sugar bits at the bottom will burn faster, and you do it carefully—not carelessly—so as to not burn yourself." 

Jaehyun and Taeyong have been spending the last fifteen minutes inside Jaehyun's kitchen—his mother's kitchen, Mrs. Jung wouldn't let Jaehyun near her sanctuary unsupervised, hence, the presence of Taeyong—to grant Jaehyun's cousins' wish to consume dalgona on Christmas night. 

Their dinner was expectedly nothing short of amazing. This time, they were served some really delectable honey-glazed turkey which Taeyong devoured in no less than ten minutes. And although their dark chocolate soufflé for dessert was as good, Jaehyun couldn't resist giving into his baby cousins' wishes. And of course, following Taeyong's ultimate love for children, he gladly joined his boyfriend on his little quest.

Jaehyun curiously eyes Taeyong and his obvious professional cooking skills. Unlike him who was forced to learn how to cook when he started studying in Australia, Taeyong has always had a penchant for culinary arts and food. 

"You're so good at this!" Jaehyun gapes when Taeyong adds the baking soda to the melting sugar and the color of the mix changes into a lighter brown in no time. "I want to do it too!"

Taeyong chuckles and plants a soft kiss on his boyfriend's cheek who's still looking at the dalgona mix as if it were the most beautiful artwork he's seen in his life, "I'd say I'll leave the decorations to you but knowing you, I think you'd attempt making this once you get your ass back to Australia so come here, let me teach you." 

Jaehyun cutely scoots closer to Taeyong while holding a stick in his right hand, ready to fight the battle he's been clearly losing before his loving boyfriend decided to step in, "I put sugar first, right?"

"Yes, but not too much or it'll overflow." 

Jaehyun follows Taeyong's instructions until he succeeds in making one that has the right color and consistency. His heart is thumping loudly into his chest as he reaches for the plate dusted with a bit of sugar so the mixture doesn't stick, and after a few moments, he presses a heart-shaped cutter onto the paste and waits for it to harden. 

He looks at Taeyong expectantly, "Did I do it?" 

Taeyong nods, genuinely smiling at Jaehyun's innocence. Who knew that this 5'11 man would be so eager in making sugar candies for his baby cousins on Christmas evening? "Yes, but it should taste good so your cousins won't spit them out all of a sudden."

And taste good it does, Jaehyun proudly presents his work to Taeyong, who's smiling as equally wide as him. He continues to make some more, not too much to make his baby cousins (and their parents) go insane because of sugar high, but just enough to make them want to hug him and kiss his cheeks. Because hugs and kisses from his baby cousins are always the best.

_____ 

"Thank you, Jaehyunnie-samchon!" 

Taeyong smiles as he watches Jaehyun carry his baby cousins one by one, kissing them on their cheeks and wishing them a Merry Christmas. 

Taeyong nearly cries when he sees him raise one of his cousins into the air while shouting "Superman!" and giving light tickles on their stomach. It's a wonderful sight to see, for Taeyong and for Jaehyun's grandmother who's standing side by side, also looking at the scene in awe. 

"I've never seen him this happy before you came, Taeyong. Thank you for bringing joy into my grandson's life." 

He looks at her, and although she's still looking at Jaehyun with his baby cousins, Taeyong could see her smiling. He smiles back.

Before he could think of a reply, one of Jaehyun's cousins prods their head inside the kitchen area with a boisterous shout, "Yah, Jaehyun! Taeyong! Beer pong!"

_____

There's nothing more melancholic than having Taylor Swift's Back to December playing inside Johnny's car on their way to the airport. Taeyong's certain Johnny's only teasing him—nothing new to that—so he gives it a pass. 

He squeezes Jaehyun's hand and breaks into a smile when the latter averts his gaze to him with longing eyes. 

"You know you could still FaceTime each other once he's back in Australia right?" Yuta taunts, squinting at Taeyong who's practically hanging off of Jaehyun as if he's terrified to let go.

Taeyong turns to him, "Shut up. Just because you failed to get your bookstore crush as a Christmas date, it doesn't mean you can curse other people for having a love life on holidays."

Jaehyun laughs and tightens his grip on Taeyong's waist, "Don't be mean to him. You'll be stuck with him for a while." 

Taeyong only replies with a huff. Until now, he still refuses to deny the fact that he will once again be stuck with Yuta and Johnny for an uncertain amount of time, much to his chagrin. It's been a week since Jaehyun surprised him in his own house, and they've spent the last seven days with each other, quite literally.

They've gone to Pyeongchang Trout Festival to go ice fishing (because it's summer in the Southern hemisphere and Australia is no exception), they went to Lotte World and braved the sea of people trying to experience the rides and see some animals, and even experienced locking their initials at the Locks of Love in Namsan Tower—which, to this day, they both still find corny and sweet at the same time. 

Apart from going to different places around the city of Seoul, they also spent a lot of time in Taeyong's home, specifically his kitchen, because after the whole dalgona-making fiasco, Taeyong figured it's time to teach Jaehyun some basic recipes he could try once he's back in Australia. 

It's safe to say that although the time they had spent together in the last seven days pales in comparison to the amount of time they spent apart, it had been the best holidays so far. And they're both ecstatic.

"Please, take care of yourself. Don't drown yourself in too much academic texts. I know how much you prefer staying in the library more than your own dorm but please, don't skip your meals and sleep," Taeyong reminds. 

Jaehyun ruffles his hair, "God, you nag like everyone else. I've heard that from my grandmother, my mother, _your_ mother, and now I'm hearing it from you."

Taeyong rolls his eyes, "Well, all the more that you have to remember it! You forget things easily, so I'm not surprised if even my sister reminds you of stuff."

"Well, your sister reminded me not to text you too much. Should I take her advice?"

Taeyong clicks his tongue and rolls his eyes, "It's up to you, you know. You don't have to text me literally everything. But it's one of the many you have to remember."

"Of course. It's one of the many things I shouldn't forget."

Taeyong wraps his arms around him tightly, "I will miss you. So much."

"Me too, baby," Jaehyun plants a soft kiss on Taeyong's temple. "I'll see you soon, yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you the most."

They share another passionate kiss before Yuta's voice forces them to part, "Hey, you two! Jaehyun's plane is leaving in like, two minutes and he's still here." 

Jaehyun laughs at his exaggerated statement. He's a little too early even, because Taeyong made sure that one: he wouldn't be late and miss his plane; and two: they'd still have enough time to say their goodbyes.

After a series of "Bring home some lamingtons next time!" and "Put some extra Tim Tams in your next package because that shit is spectacular!" from Johnny and Yuta, Jaehyun once again hugs Taeyong before he's being slightly nudged by the latter inside before his tears start falling. 

"I'll miss you. I'll miss you. I'll miss you," Jaehyun repeatedly says. 

Taeyong tries his best to blink away the tears pooling in his eyes, "Me too." 

When Jaehyun doesn't answer, Taeyong whispers into his shoulder, "Hey, Jaehyun?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for coming home this Christmas."

Taeyong leaves the airport with his two friends with a heavy heart. When will he be able to see Jaehyun again, he wonders. And although his tears will surely fall once he reaches home, he's grateful. Because Christmas had surely been merry this year. 

_____

"Why was your phone off this morning? I couldn't reach you at all. Even your mom didn't know where you were," Jaehyun speaks with a soft voice, careful not to disturb any of his neighbors as he voices out his concern to Taeyong over the phone.

"I went for a jog, didn't know I was running out of battery, to be honest. I'm sorry for that. I didn't bother telling you because I knew you were in class and I didn't want you to be distracted." 

Jaehyun sighs as he keys in the passcode in his dorm. He sees his roommate Winwin, who greets him as soon as he steps inside. He's boiling some water for his ramen, or at least that's what Jaehyun assumes, because out of all the years they had spent together as roommates, they had both only managed to master the art of preparing processed food, thanks to their twisted luck.

Winwin, after almost three years of rooming together, turned to be one of his good friends in the university. He's from China, and just like Jaehyun, he's also on his way to finishing his postgraduate degree in the same institution as Jaehyun. Apart from being born in the same year, their personalities really match each other so well. They had initially struggled with the language barrier, but thanks to Winwin's charm and a lot of help from Google Translate and Duolingo, they eventually managed to understand each other. 

Taeyong grew fond of him, too. Oftentimes, when Jaehyun FaceTimes him during dinner, he'd ask Winwin about himself or his hometown back in China. He'd also receive some Korean snacks from Taeyong each time he sends a package to his boyfriend who misses home sometimes. 

"Lunch?" Winwin asks. Jaehyun glances at the small dining table they had managed to haggle at the local hardware store at 13 AUD two years ago, and sees four packs of opened instant noodles sitting on top of it.

"How much are you eating? Do we have guests over?" Jaehyun curiously asks, aware that Taeyong is still on the other line.

"Well…" Winwin trails off.

Before he could say something else though, Jaehyun hears Taeyong clear his throat, "Hey, babe."

"Yeah?"

"Did you receive the birthday gift I got you? I'm pretty sure it arrived there at your dorm already."

Jaehyun's forehead creases, "You got me a gift?" He asks, then turns to his roommate who seems to be a little flustered, "Hey, Winwin, did Taeyong get me something?"

Winwin smiles a little too excitedly, which confuses Jaehyun, "Yes! Yes, he did. It's in your room." 

Jaehyun notices the way Winwin got all giddy all of a sudden, however he doesn't say anything. Instead, he mumbles a quick "thanks" before turning towards his bedroom.

"What did you get me?" He asks while trying to look for the right keys to his room.

Taeyong, on the other hand, doesn't answer, because as soon as Jaehyun's door opens, his heart almost drops to the floor.

Jaehyun freezes in his tracks, still unable to process the sight that welcomed him inside his room.

A figure waiting for him at the other end of his room is looking at him so lovingly, with his small stature standing diffidently at the side of his bed, his cheeks slightly red because of the humidity, his hair slightly disheveled, and his lips, which are curved in such a way Jaehyun missed the most. His one arm is clutched up with his hand holding his phone to his ear, "Hey."

Jaehyun doesn't waste any second before throwing his phone on his bed and runs towards Taeyong who shrieks in surprise with the way Jaehyun crashes his body onto his and hugs him so, so tightly.

"You're here, you...you're in Australia! Oh my God, Taeyong!" 

He laughs at Jaehyun and lets him hug and kiss him the way he wants. It's only been a month since they parted ways, but to Taeyong, it seemed like forever. 

He intertwines his hands on Jaehyun's back as he hugs him really tightly, and buries his face on Jaehyun's neck, inhaling his scent, memorizing the way his body completes his, melting into the warmth of Jaehyun's skin on his very own, the same way he did before when Jaehyun had surprised him for Christmas.

Only Taeyong was the one who surprised Jaehyun this time around.

"I missed you. God, I missed you so much." Jaehyun whispers as he softly caresses Taeyong's head. 

"I missed you too, baby." 

Jaehyun pulled apart but still kept his hand in Taeyong's, looking at him dearly, "Since when did you get here?" 

"A little over an hour ago. Winwin picked me up from the airport and brought me here. He even had to ransack your cabinet in the living room—which was a total mess by the way—just to find the spare key to your room." 

Jaehyun chuckles softly and kisses Taeyong's nose, "You were in-flight all this time?" 

Taeyong nods, recalling the white lie he said to his concerned boyfriend minutes ago, "Yeah. I wasn't jogging. And my phone wasn't dead. I'm sorry." 

Jaehyun only shakes his head, and pulls Taeyong in for another hug, "It doesn't matter. You're here now." 

Taeyong hums and Jaehyun feels the vibration on his chest, "I love you." 

"I love you too, Taeyong. Thank you for coming home to me."

He feels Taeyong plant soft kisses on his jaw, "Happy Valentine's day and happy happy birthday, baby." Taeyong whispers in his ear. 

Jaehyun is ecstatic. He didn't really expect Taeyong to pull something like this. Heck, they even planned a simple dinner through FaceTime to celebrate Valentine's day, as well as his birthday today. There's a tug at his heart and butterflies somersault in his stomach, Taeyong is here, and he's grateful.

Jaehyun hugs him tightly, smiling as he remembers something he was supposed to tell Taeyong on the phone earlier, "Hey babe, guess what?"

Taeyong answers with a muffled "What?" on Jaehyun's shoulder.

"I have one semester left before I graduate." 

Taeyong looks at him expectantly, and Jaehyun swears he could see the entire universe in his eyes, "Does that mean…"

Jaehyun doesn't answer, instead he pulls Taeyong in for another sweet kiss on the lips. Taeyong's heart flutters, both from the warmth of Jaehyun's lips on his and what he just told him. He doesn't ask further nor is he planning to, because he already knows.

No more "Can't wait to see you"s during Christmas eves, nor advanced "Happy new year"s to align with Jaehyun's timezone. No more postcards, nor gifts that take too long to reach the other. No more "I miss you"s, "Wish you were here"s, and "Please come back soon, baby"s during their anniversaries—just "I love you"s, "I love you"s, and "I love you"s in the years to follow.

Jaehyun pulls away and tugs at Taeyong's hands, "Now, shall we go and see some kangaroos?" 

Because Jaehyun will be home for Christmas.

_Taeyong's home, in the perfect arms of his perfect love, and there's no place he'd rather be._

**Author's Note:**

> consider this as a christmas gift from me to everyone who's reading this right now. please leave some kudos and likes if you have enjoyed :)) 
> 
> happy happy holidays everyone!
> 
> interact w me on [twt!](https://twitter.com/jycashewnuts/)


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